32 U.S. Code § 715 - Property loss; personal injury or death: activities under certain sections of this title

(a)Under such regulations as the Secretary of the Army or Secretary of the Air Force may prescribe, he or, subject to appeal to him, the Judge Advocate General of the armed force under his jurisdiction, if designated by him, may settle and pay in an amount not more than $100,000 a claim against the United States for—

(1)damage to, or loss of, real property, including damage or loss incident to use and occupancy;

(2)damage to, or loss of, personal property, including property bailed to the United States or the National Guard and including registered or insured mail damaged, lost, or destroyed by a criminal act while in the possession of the National Guard; or

(3)personal injury or death; either caused by a member of the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard, as the case may be, while engaged in training or duty under section
316,
502,
503,
504, or
505 of this title or any other provision of law for which he is entitled to pay under section
206 of title
37, or for which he has waived that pay, and acting within the scope of his employment; or otherwise incident to noncombat activities of the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard, as the case may be, under one of those sections.

(b)A claim may be allowed under subsection (a) only if—

(1)it is presented in writing within two years after it accrues, except that if the claim accrues in time of war or armed conflict or if such a war or armed conflict intervenes within two years after it accrues, and if good cause is shown, the claim may be presented not later than two years after the war or armed conflict is terminated;

(2)it is not covered by section
2734 of title
10 or section
2672 of title
28;

(3)it is not for personal injury or death of such a member or a person employed under section
709 of this title, whose injury or death is incident to his service;

(4)the damage to, or loss of, property, or the personal injury or death, was not caused wholly or partly by a negligent or wrongful act of the claimant, his agent, or his employee, or, if so caused, allowed only to the extent that the law of the place where the act or omission complained of occurred would permit recovery from a private individual under like circumstances; and

(5)it is substantiated as prescribed in regulations of the Secretary concerned.

For the purposes of clause (1), the dates of the beginning and end of an armed conflict are the dates established by concurrent resolution of Congress or by a determination of the President.

(c)Payment may not be made under this section for reimbursement for medical, hospital, or burial services furnished at the expense of the United States or of any State or the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico.

(d)If the Secretary concerned considers that a claim in excess of $100,000 is meritorious, and the claim otherwise is payable under this section, the Secretary may pay the claimant $100,000 and report any meritorious amount in excess of $100,000 to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment under section
1304 of title
31.

(e)Except as provided in subsection (d), no claim may be paid under this section unless the amount tendered is accepted by the claimant in full satisfaction.

(f)Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, an officer or employee under the jurisdiction of the Secretary may settle a claim that otherwise would be payable under this section in an amount not to exceed $25,000. A decision of the officer or employee who makes a final settlement decision under this section may be appealed by the claimant to the Secretary concerned or an officer or employee designated by the Secretary for that purpose.

(g)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the settlement of a claim under this section is final and conclusive.

(h)In this section, “settle” means consider, ascertain, adjust, determine, and dispose of a claim, whether by full or partial allowance or disallowance.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–564, § 4(2), amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: “If the Secretary of the military department concerned considers that a claim in excess of $25,000 is meritorious and would otherwise be covered by this section, he may pay the claimant $25,000 and report the excess to Congress for its consideration”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 98–564, § 4(3), amended subsec. (f) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (f) read as follows: “In any case where the amount to be paid is not more than $5,000, the authority contained in subsection (a) may be delegated to any officer of the Army or the Air Force, as the case may be, who has been delegated authority under section
2733(g) of title
10, to settle similar claims, subject to appeal to the Secretary concerned, or his designee for that purpose”.

1972—Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 92–445inserted provision that claim may be allowed to extent that law of place where act or omission complained of occurred would permit recovery from a private individual under similar circumstances, when damage to or loss of property, or personal injury or death was caused wholly or partly by a negligent or wrongful act of claimant, his agent, or his employee.

1968—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–486struck out “caused by a person employed under section
709 of this title acting within the scope of his employment;” after “acting within the scope of his employment;”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 90–525increased limitation on amount of settlement from $1,000 to $2,500 and provided for appeals to Secretary concerned, or his designee, from determinations delegating authority to settle claims to an officer of the Army or the Air Force.

Amendment by Pub. L. 90–486effective Jan. 1, 1968, except that no deductions or withholding from salary which result therefrom shall commence before the first day of the first pay period that begins on or after Jan. 1, 1968, see section 11 ofPub. L. 90–486, set out as a note under section
709 of this title.

Effective Date of 1962 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 87–649effective Nov. 1, 1962, see section 15 ofPub. L. 87–649, set out as an Effective Date note preceding section
101 of Title
37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services.

Savings Provision for Claims Arising Before January 1, 1969

Settlement and payment of claims arising under this section before January 1, 1969, see section 3(a) ofPub. L. 90–486, set out as a note under section
709 of this title.